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NWSL Power Rankings: Utah Royals make serious noise; Kansas City Current far from where they need to be
TL;DR
The latest NWSL Power Rankings highlight the Utah Royals' impressive performances while the Kansas City Current struggle to find their footing. Teams are making significant statements as the league progresses.
Key points
- Utah Royals show impressive performances
- Kansas City Current struggling in rankings
- International break impacts team performances
- Sophia Wilson scoring consistently for Portland Thorns
Mentioned in this story
Sophia Wilson
Utah RoyalsKansas City CurrentPortland Thorns
CBS Sports
Nothing says welcome back to NWSL like a slate of games and performances that give highs for some clubs and lows for others. In between the wild come-from-behind performances and blowouts and shutouts, some teams returned to the grind with bigger statements.
That means it's time for my weekly NWSL Power Rankings again. If you're keeping track of power trends between clubs, here are my previous rankings.
Coming off a break, you can learn pretty quickly who benefited and who didn't. Portland Thorns forward Sophia Wilson may not have scored against Japan during the international break with the U.S. women's national team, but she looked consistently dangerous, and now she is scoring across games in NWSL.
Gotham FC have hopped back into the schedule and finally brought the goalscoring. Rose Lavelle, Jaedyn Shaw, and rookie Jordynn Dudley are producing as the defensive line gets back more pieces. Racing Louisville had a nice return to action with a big performance against the Pride, but had a midweek stumble against the Washington Spirit, so they jumped in the rankings, but not out of the bottom five.
Speaking of this weekend, fans can watch a Sunday double-header on CBS Sports Network. Gotham FC meet Racing Louisville FC, and it's an expansion battle between Boston Legacy and Denver Summit. Here's the viewing info:
How to watch NWSL on CBS
All times Eastern
Sunday, May 3
- Boston Legacy vs. Denver Summit FC, 3 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
- Gotham FC vs. Racing Louisville FC, 5 p.m. (CBS Sports Network)
Calendar flips to May
As clubs prepare to check off their seventh game of the year, they say farewell to a quarter of the season and ring in a brand new month. That means performance trends will shift as the schedule catches up and everyone gets more into form as the season goes on.
But perhaps there is no better example of turning a page than the Utah Royals, who have one of the biggest jumps in the rankings this week. While they're top five right now in the league standings, they're still a little lower for me. That's not because of a lack of belief; that's just good old-fashioned skepticism of a team finding itself for the first time. Still, I cannot wait to see what they pull off this weekend.
Q&A
What are the latest NWSL Power Rankings?
The latest NWSL Power Rankings showcase the Utah Royals making a strong impression, while the Kansas City Current are not meeting expectations.
How did the international break affect NWSL teams?
The international break revealed which teams benefited from the time off, with some clubs making stronger statements than others upon their return.
Who is Sophia Wilson and how did she perform recently?
Sophia Wilson is a forward for the Portland Thorns who, despite not scoring for the U.S. women's national team, has been consistently dangerous and scoring in NWSL games.
What trends are emerging in the NWSL this season?
Emerging trends include significant highs for some clubs and lows for others, indicating a competitive season with notable performances across the league.
